Secrets of Chatsworth

Secrets of Chatsworth

In its 500-year history, Chatsworth has been home to some notable inhabitants, among them the 5th Duke of Devonshire, his wife, Lady Georgiana Spencer, and Lady Elizabeth Foster, who lived together in a ménage à trois. King Edward VII enjoyed shooting parties on the estate and was often entertained by Duchess Louisa, one of Britain’s foremost political hostesses. Duchess Louisa’s daughter-in-law, American Consuelo Yznaga del Valle, introduced American heiresses into the British aristocracy; many of these young women married British noblemen. Billy Cavendish, heir of the 10th Duke of Devonshire, wooed and wed Kathleen Kennedy, the sister of future U.S. president John F Kennedy. The marriage was short-lived, however: Billy died in action in World War II four months after they exchanged vows. Four years later, Kathleen died in a plane crash. She was buried at Chatsworth.